Implementation of the Portuguese recovery and resilience plan

Subject: Implementation of the Portuguese recovery and resilience plan

A report published this month by the Portuguese National Commission for Monitoring the Recovery and Resilience Plan has found that the implementation of 22 investments/measures/sub-measures was worse than in February 2022. The report concludes that the status of 20 of the 86 investments is ‘critical’ or ‘concerning’.

A European Court of Auditors special report on the Recovery and Resilience Facility’s performance monitoring framework has found that the indicators (common indicators, milestones and targets) measure implementation progress but only partially measure overall performance. In view of this:

1. What does the Commission make of the evaluation of roughly 23 % of Portugal’s recovery and resilience plan investments, measures and sub-measures?

2. Was the Commission notified by the Portuguese Government about delays and concerns relating to these projects when negotiating the adjustments to Portugal’s recovery and resilience plan?

3. Given that the implementation of measures has been classified as ‘critical’ and ‘concerning’, will the Commission take any steps to make sure those measures are implemented?

Submitted: 16.11.2023

Answer given by Mr Gentiloni on behalf of the European Commission

(19 February 2024)

The responsibility for the implementation of the recovery and resilience plan (RRP) measures lies with the Member States, in accordance with the Council Implementing Decision (1).

In the context of the 2023 European Semester, the Council adopted in July a country-specific recommendation (2) to Portugal to accelerate the implementation of its RRP, also by ensuring adequate administrative capacity.

The Commission services are in close contact with Portuguese authorities regarding the implementation of the RRP.

In the context of the revision of its RRP, Portugal submitted a reasoned request to modify measures no longer fully achievable due to objective circumstances, in accordance with Article 21(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241 (3).

Some measures have been revised in the modified Council Implementing Decision (4) as they were no longer achievable within the timeline of the original RRP.

1 ∙ ⸱ Council Implementing Decision of 17 October 2023 amending Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the

recovery and resilience plan for Portugal (ST 13351/23). 2 ∙ ⸱

Council Recommendation of 14 July 2023 on the 2023 National Reform Programme of Portugal and delivering a Council opinion on the 2023 Stability Programme of Portugal (ST 11154/23). 3 ∙ ⸱

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/241/oj 4 ∙ ⸱

Council Implementing Decision of 17 October 2023 amending Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Portugal (ST 13351/23).